JP5303773B2 - Garlic peeler - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is intended to peel thin peels from fruit and vegetable peelers, especially garlic and other vegetables and fruits such as dry nuts such as peanuts and almonds and various types of dry combinations. Relates to a suitable peeler.

Although the fruit or vegetable skin may not be completely dry and may adhere to the fruit or vegetable, in most cases the fruit or vegetable skin is dry.

There may be only one layer of skin (for example, various types of nuts) or several layers. And some of the skin layers are dry, the layers are moist, and most of the interior is still attached to fruits or vegetables (such as in the case of garlic or binders) Sometimes.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus according to the present invention may be used to peel garlic and various types of fruit and vegetable selections, but for purposes of simplicity, the specification and In the claims, all such fruits and vegetables are collectively represented as garlic.

Further, the terms “skin” and “skin” are collectively referred to as “skin” below.

Garlic is part of the onion family, which has been cultivated for thousands of years and is widely used for its cooking and medical attributes resulting in the ever increasing popularity of this crop.

Garlic has already been described in an old testimony as follows:

“We were eating fish in Egypt for free, and cucumbers, melons, salmon, onions and garlic are unforgettable.” “Old Testament: Numbers 11: 5”

This increase in the consumption of this popular herb especially raises the need for methods and appliances that take into account the strong smell they leave when peeled by hand. Thus, several garlic peelers have been introduced throughout the years.

The first type of garlic peeler, disclosed in GB Patent 2315990 (Beverridge), is made of a resilient material into a tube shape that is sized to accommodate one or more pieces of garlic. Non-mechanical devices with roughened or knurled inner surfaces are indicated. The garlic pieces are inserted into a tube, which is manually compressed onto a flat surface and peeled by rotating.

Another type of garlic peeler relates to mechanical or electromechanical devices, for example as shown in the following publications.

U.S. Pat.No. 5,996,483 (Yip) describes a garlic and / or comprising a housing having a cylindrical friction wall surface formed with an open top end and four ribs having respective faces and a lid closing the top end of the housing. ) Disclose a peeler for peanuts. The peeler includes a central agitator surrounded by wall surfaces and supported for axial rotation. The handle is provided to rotate the stirrer, which causes the garlic and / or peanut pieces to strike the rib surface at a steep angle. Thereby the peel of garlic and / or peanut pieces is cracked and opened by continued action with a stirrer for subsequent peeling.

U.S. Pat.No. 4,768,429 (Federighi) discloses a rotary attachment placed in a bowl of a food processing utensil engaged with a drive shaft of the utensil, which is a dry and brittle exterior of garlic pieces or similar food material. It has a disk that rotates horizontally with an upper wear surface that quickly removes the covering.

US Patent Application US20020153440 (Holcomb) discloses a portable manual food processor having a pull cord motor for rotating a shaft with an arm. The arm can be a cutter blade or an elastomeric flexible peeler arm whose durometer hardness is desirably between Shores 80A-82A. The arm is driven by a shaft and a stop block is formed on the side wall near the end of the arm. As the shaft rotates, it is rubbed into the food skin in the processor to peel the food. The processor cover has a flat exterior surface. Therefore, this cover can be used as a storage unit for the contents of the processor.
GB patent 2315990 US Patent 5,996,483 US Patent 4,768,429 US patent application US20020153440

It is well known that intact garlic pieces hardly disperse any odor. However, the typical smell of garlic is caused by a chemical reaction that occurs whenever a cell is broken, such as by cutting, slicing or breaking.

The present invention provides a mechanical peeler for garlic (as with other fruits and vegetables with thin skin) that can leave garlic pieces intact and aesthetically in a manner that does not scratch the surface. With the goal.

The present invention peels the peels of certain fruits and vegetables (those collectively represented here as garlic) with thin skin without scraping, breaking, hitting or scratching the garlic pieces. The main purpose is to provide a device for this purpose. Because damage to the garlic pieces is avoided or minimized, the typical garlic odor dispersal is avoided or minimized, preserving the nutritional value and visual appeal of the garlic pieces.

According to the present invention, in the assembly position, a peeling member in which a peeled surface facing the friction wall is formed, a garlic piece storage chamber in which the friction wall is formed, one of the friction wall and the peeled surface, Alternatively, a garlic peeler is provided that includes a moving mechanism that relatively moves both, and at least one of the friction wall and the peeled surface is made of an elastic material.

The arrangement is as follows: multiple garlic pieces placed in a gap extending between the friction wall and the peeled surface are peeled by friction with the rotatable friction wall and / or the peeled surface. It is burned. Here the skin is scraped off and scraped without affecting the garlic pieces themselves.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a base member constituting a garlic piece containing chamber made of a hard material and having an inner wall constituting its friction wall, and an elastic force supported rotatably in the housing And a housing having a gap formed between the inner wall of the housing and the aforementioned peeling member.

According to the modification of the present invention, the compartment of the garlic piece storage chamber is covered with the inner liner constituting the friction wall, or the inner liner is attached. The top cover is made of a hard material, can be adapted to the base member, and supports the peeling member and the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism is connected to the upper cover or the base member in order to rotate the peeling member with respect to the aforementioned friction wall.

According to the general concept of the present invention, a garlic peeler includes a housing having a base member and a cover member that form a garlic piece storage chamber extending between the peeled surface of the cover member and the friction wall surface of the base member. The surfaces are spaced apart, with a small gap in between, at least one of the surfaces being made of a resilient material. Movement from one of the respective surfaces to the other causes peeling and brushing from the garlic pieces contained in the gap.

According to one particular design of the garlic peeler according to the invention, at least one of the friction walls and the peeling member can be deformed, for example, with garlic pieces in between. According to one particular embodiment, the peeling member is opposed to the friction wall with a slight gap in between.

The peeler according to the present invention may further include one or more of the following features.
The moving mechanism is a rotary mechanism for relatively rotating the friction wall surface and / or the peeling member, and either or both of the friction wall and the peeling member rotate in the opposite direction.
-Elastic protrusions such as ribs or barrels or bristles are made on either or both of the friction wall and the peeled surface of the peeled member.
The friction wall and the peeled surface of the peeled member are uniformly arranged with each other, creating an even gap in the circumferential direction.
• The gap between the surfaces is typically between about 5-10 mm.
-The skin facing member is elastically biased in the direction facing the friction wall surface.
• All peeler components are easily disassembled for maintenance and cleaning. According to a particular design, all components of the utensil can be washed in a dishwasher.
-The moving mechanism is manually operated (for example, a so-called “hand crank” or by direct rotation of the upper cover or the base member) or electrically driven.
-One or both of the friction wall and the peel member may have other parameters with different parameters, eg different appearance, different surface profile or other elastic properties, for use on various types of fruits or vegetables Depending on the element, it can be exchanged or changed.
The friction wall surface is fixedly attached to, or integrated with, a fixed housing including the garlic piece storage chamber.
• Either the friction wall and / or the peel member are typically made of a rubber material such as silicone rubber.
The rotary mechanism may be connected to either one of the base members or the top cover.
• Either one of the friction wall and the peel member may be generally concave and the other may be snug and generally convex.
There is a clear space behind either or both of the friction wall and the peel member to allow its deformation with the fruit in the gap.
The housing includes a top cover and a base member that are stationary while the peel member is rotating.
-The components of the device are assembled coaxially.

According to one particular design, the appliance is part of a food processor that includes several accessories (eg, choppers, molars, mixers, slicers, mincers, etc.) as well as a garlic peeler. Similar appliances typically include a chamber (bowl shape), a cover, and an accessory that can be mounted on a shaft connected to a manual or electric power unit, which can be easily replaced. .

According to this embodiment, the containment chamber (bowl) has a cover that can be fitted over it with a hard material and a gap that is made of a resilient material in the shape of a balloon and exists between it in the bowl. And a peeler member held rotatably.

The bowl may be provided with a protrusion protruding inside and a gap between the inner surface of the receiving chamber (bowl) and the peeling member. The gap may also vary along its contour between a narrower gap at the bottom and a wider gap at the top. The rotation of the peeling member is provided by a power unit provided on a base member or cover having an axis extending while supporting the peeling member.

Thus, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a peel member for use simultaneously with a food processor.

According to the general concept of the present invention, a garlic peeler includes a housing having a base member and a cover member that form a garlic piece storage chamber extending between the peeled surface of the cover member and the friction wall surface of the base member. The surfaces are spaced apart, with a small gap in between, at least one of the surfaces being made of a resilient material. Movement from one of the respective surfaces to the other causes peeling and brushing from the garlic pieces contained in the gap.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the instrument is an add-on type for use with a conventional mixer, a bowl-shaped housing formed with a hemispherical bottom portion, and a hemisphere made of at least a resilient material. And a peeling member having a bottom portion shaped to fit into the bowl. The peeling member further comprises a shaft suitable for being connected to a chuck for rotary coupling of the mixer.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a manually operable garlic peeler according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the garlic peeler shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base member of the garlic peeler shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper cover of the garlic peeler shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the peel assembly connected to the rotating handle of the garlic peeler shown in FIG. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a coupling member of a peeling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a peeling member of the peeling assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a longitudinal sectional view of a garlic piece housed in a garlic piece containing chamber and a peeler according to the invention. FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of a portion indicated as Vll in FIG. 7A. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a peeling member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8B is a perspective view of a foundation member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electric garlic peeler according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a garlic peeler according to a modification of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a garlic peeler according to another modification of the present invention. FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a garlic peeler according to a different embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of the garlic peeler according to the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a food processor device provided with a peel accessory according to the present invention. FIG. 15 is a side view of the food processor of FIG. 14 assembled in the peeler arrangement. 16A and 16B are perspective views of a peel member housed within the bowl apparatus of FIG.

1 and 2 show a garlic peeler according to the present invention. The entire garlic peeler is indicated at 20 and includes a spherical housing 22 whose overall appearance is in the form of garlic. This garlic form has a decorative design similar to the garlic pieces shown at 24.

The housing 22 includes a base member 28 formed on the flat support base 30 and a complementary upper cover 32. Both detailed structures will become apparent below in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4.

The upper cover 32 can engage the base member 28 in a locked state.

A hand crank 38 is provided for manual operation, the operation of which will become apparent below.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the base member 28 is in the form of a fixed hemisphere that contains the liner 42 tightly. The liner 42 is made of an elastic material (for example, silicone rubber) and constitutes a friction surface.

In accordance with a particular embodiment of the invention, the liner 42 is molded integrally with the base member 28 in order to thus provide a versatile and multi-layered appearance as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 8B and 9.

However, it is clear that the liner 42 is packed into the base 28 and securely seated by, for example, a snap-type arrangement, a fuser wheel, etc. (not shown). A base member 28 with a friction wall (liner) 42 creates a garlic piece storage chamber 46 (see also FIG. 7A).

The upper cover 32 has a hemispherical shape that is complementary and fixed to the base member 28, and an opening 48 (FIG. 2) is formed at the top. From the opening, a cylindrical wall portion open at both ends extends downward.

The peel assembly is generally designated 52 (FIGS. 2, 5, 6A and 6B). The peel assembly 52 includes a peel member 51 having a peeled surface 56 in the shape of an inverted hemisphere made of a resilient material (such as silicone rubber).

The peel member 51 has a plurality of radial ribs 58 formed on the outer surface thereof.

The peeling member 51 is supported by a holding ring 60 made of a fixed material (for example, a plastic material). The retaining ring 60 is connected to the peeling member 51 by screwing to 62, by integrally molding, or by other means (for example, adhesion).

The fixed retaining ring 60 is connected so as to engage with the rotation support disk 64 and snap, but is separable. They are connected by projecting inwardly the radial tabs 68 of the retaining ring 60 which are engaged in corresponding recesses 70 formed in the support disk 64.

The support disk 64 is formed with an upwardly extending cylindrical neck portion 74 that can freely rotate within the cylinder 50 of the top cover 32 and has a smooth outer surface 76 that is tightly mated.

On the other hand, a plurality of radial ribs 78 extending in the axial direction are formed on the inner surface. This radial rib 78 is adapted for snap engagement with the geared shaft portion 82 of the hand crank 38, adapted for its rotational engagement in the position of FIGS. 1, 5 and 7A.

As already mentioned above and with particular reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 7A and 7B, the top cover 32 is suitable for locking engagement with the base member.

For that purpose, the base member 28 is formed with a circumferential rim 90 at its upper end 88. On the other hand, the upper cover 32 has a circumferential inner groove 92, and the base member 28 has several fixed projections formed in the upper cover 32 that can be engaged with corresponding recesses 96. 94 is made.

In this type, the top cover 92 can be securely engaged with the base member 28, thereby preventing unintentional opening of the device during use.

In the assembled position, the peel member 51 forms a gap 46 from the liner 42, as can be seen from FIG. 7A. This gap is typically in the range of about 5-10 mm, the average of which is smaller than the size of the garlic pieces (100 in FIG. 7A). In this assembled position, the peel member 51 is deformed on the garlic piece 100 to ensure meshing and frictional contact.

The rotation of the hand crank 38 by the handle 39 causes a corresponding rotation of the peel member 51. And as a result, the garlic pieces 100 placed in the gap 46 without causing any damage to the garlic pieces (ie, without being scraped, scratched, crushed, or otherwise damaged). The skin will be peeled away. In this way, it is possible to obtain a peeled garlic piece that retains all its nutritional value and, in effect, without spreading the typical garlic smell.

While this description refers to garlic in the description and claims, it can also be used to peel other vegetables or fruits (e.g., onions, various types of nuts, etc. (almonds, peanuts, etc.)). It will be appreciated that this instrument should be used. Accordingly, the size of the gap, i.e., the distance between the friction wall (liner) 42 of the base member 28 and the peeled surface 56 of the peel member 51 may vary depending on the size of the vegetable or fruit being considered. According to a special design not shown, the gap may be regulated by the movement of the peeling member or its replacement.

It is further appreciated that the utensil is easily assembled and disassembled for cleaning and maintenance and can be easily washed even by a dishwasher. Typically, all instrument components are easily washable and are made of plastic and elastomeric materials that do not absorb any odor or color.

FIG. 8A illustrates the peel member 112 with the retaining ring 60 described in the previous embodiment attached. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 8A, a plurality of ridges 114 are created on the peeled surface of the peel member 112 to increase frictional contact with the garlic pieces housed in the garlic piece containing chamber. In the embodiment of FIG. 8B, a plurality of elastic bristles 124 are attached to the inner surface of the friction wall 120 of the base member 122 to further increase the frictional engagement with the garlic pieces housed in the garlic piece containing chamber. . Either one or both of the friction wall (the liner of the base member) and the peeled surface of the peeling member are smooth, or protrusions such as barrels or ribs, bristles, or combinations thereof It is evaluated that is attached.

However, it is further appreciated that the same housing may be used with replaceable peel members to adapt to different types of fruits and vegetables.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, an electric motor 132 is attached to the garlic peeler 130 instead of the manual hand crank 38 of the previous embodiment. An on / off switch 134 and a motor are attached to the electric motor 132, and the battery may be accommodated in a space of a cylindrical portion extending downward from the upper cover 138.

The embodiment of FIG. 10 generally shows a garlic peeler 150 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the housing is a finished, rigid housing 152 having a longitudinally extending cylindrical friction wall 156 formed within the housing 152 and substantially coaxial with a resilient material. Has been. The rotary hand crank 158 can mesh with the fixed core 160 in the assembly position. The fixed core is rotatably supported at its lower end 162 by an axial protrusion 164 protruding from the foundation 166 of the housing 152.

The core 160 is covered with an elastic sleeve 170 constituting a peeled surface. A gap 174 that accommodates the garlic pieces thereby extends between the resilient sleeve 170 and the liner 156. Since the gap 174 containing the garlic pieces is typically narrower than the average size of the garlic pieces 178, rotation of the hand crank 158 causes the garlic pieces 178 to be peeled.

It is appreciated that other embodiments as described with respect to previous applications are equally possible, e.g. having formed a peeled surface such as a friction wall 156 with sleeves and / or protrusions or bristles etc. .

In the embodiment of FIG. 11, a garlic peeler 180 according to a variation of the invention is illustrated, in which the base member 182 is provided with a resilient peel member 184 in the form of a tightly packed diaphragm. Is formed. The upper cover 186, on the other hand, supports a rotating hand crank 188, as well as a disc 190 covered by a friction surface 191 made of a resilient material. There is then a garlic piece receiving gap 192 extending between the peeled surface 184 and the friction surface 191. This gap 192 constitutes a garlic piece storage chamber.

With that arrangement, rotation of the handle 188 causes a corresponding rotation of the disk 190, resulting in the peeling / brushing of the garlic pieces 196 contained in the garlic piece receiving gap 192.

Still referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, a garlic peeler 200 suitable for use with a mixer (eg, a domestic kitchen mixer 204 as shown in FIG. 13) is shown.

The garlic peeler 200 includes a bowl 206 in which a hemispherical bottom portion 208 is formed. And according to one particular design, at least the hemispherical bottom portion 208 is fitted or covered with a resilient liner 210 that functions as a friction wall (FIG. 13). The bowl is a mixer replacement bowl and is provided with a base 212 for fixing to the mixer support table 216 (FIG. 13). The peel member 220 comprises a balloon 222, at least its hemispherical bottom portion 226 made of a resilient material and sized to enter the bowl 206. The peel member 220 further includes a shaft 230 suitable for being coupled to a chuck 236 for rotational coupling of the mixer.

According to this embodiment, the garlic peeler 200 is an add-on type for use with a conventional mixer. In that regard, the bowl 206 may also serve other purposes for use with the mixer 204, as is known per se. With this arrangement, a circular motion is applied from the motor of the mixer 204 to the peeling member. In this case, the size of the gap 239 between the bowl and the peel member 220 may be adjusted by moving the mixer arm 241 up and down. Further, the rotation speed is adjusted by the controller 245.

Shaft 230 may be a special design member in its shape, or it may be any conventional mixing device used with a mixer to which a peeling member is connected.

FIG. 14 to FIG. 16 show further modifications of the invention.

The food processor, generally designated 250, is fitted to lock the mesh on the bowl 252 via the adapter cover 260 and the bowl-shaped food receiving member 252 supported on the overall base member 254. A housing composed of the upper member 258 is provided. An electric motor (not shown) that can be connected to a power source by means of an electrical cord 262 and can be operated by means of an electrical switch 264, as is known per se, is integrated in the upper member 258.

Several alternative accessories are provided. Only two of them are shown in the current embodiment. Such embodiments are, for example, choppers, molars, slicers, mincers, mixers and the like. In FIG. 14, a chopper accessory 266 that is connectable to a shaft 268 extending from the motor is illustrated. Another accessory is that in the assembled position (FIG. 15), the peel member 272 is rotatably supported by a bearing member 280 fitted in the bowl 252 at the bottom end 278 of the peel member. Is a garlic peeler 270 including a resilient balloon peel member 272 that extends from a support shaft 274 suitable for joining to a shaft 268.

A plurality of indentations 284 are formed in the bowl 252 and a gap existing between the inner surface of the storage chamber (bowl 252) and the balloon-like peeling member 272 is formed in the bottom portion. It is further noted that there is a difference along the longitudinal profile between the narrower gap and the wider upper gap.

The balloon peel member 272 may be a homogeneous solid unit made of a resilient material, or it may be a sealed balloon that retains its form. However, according to that variation, the balloon may ventilate, facilitating ease of removal from the shaft 274, eg, for cleaning purposes.

In use, the dried garlic pieces are placed in bowl 252 and the instrument is then closed by placing cover member 260 and top cover 258.

By starting the electric motor with the switch 264, the peeling member 272 rotates in the bowl. This in turn causes the garlic pieces to move into the containment chamber so that friction between the peel member 272 and the inner surface 273 of the bowl 252 results in the garlic pieces being peeled.

It is appreciated that the above description is intended to serve merely as an example, and that many other embodiments are possible, all of which are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (16)

It has one friction walls facing the peeling surface extending in a cylindrical shape, and one peeled member of the friction wall and coaxial,
A housing comprising one garlic piece storage chamber formed between the friction wall and the peeling member , and the friction wall ;
A moving mechanism for moving the peeling member relative to the friction wall ;
The peeling member has a balloon shape that is elastically expanded in a direction facing the surface of the friction wall , and a gap is formed between the peeling surface and the surface of the friction wall. The garlic piece peeler characterized in that the gap is sized to accommodate a plurality of garlic pieces. 2. The garlic peeler according to claim 1 , wherein the peeled surface of the peel member is made of a resilient material or is attached with a resilient material. The garlic peeler according to claim 2, wherein the size of the gap can be adjusted according to the size of fruits and vegetables .   The garlic peeler according to claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism is a manually operated hand crank.   The garlic peeler according to claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism is an electric motor housed in the housing.   The housing includes a top cover that can be fitted over a base member, the base member and the top cover being made of a hard material, the top cover supporting a peel member that protrudes toward the friction wall. The garlic peeler according to claim 1. The Peeling member, garlic cloves peeler according to claim 1, wherein the deformable to accommodate the garlic cloves between the friction surfaces. A garlic peeler using a mixer,
A bowl of said mixer in which a bottom part of a hemisphere functioning as a friction wall is formed , and at least a resilient material is arranged on the bottom part of the hemisphere ;
A peeling member disposed in the bowl and having a peeling surface facing the friction wall;
A gap is formed between the peeled surface and the surface of the friction wall, the gap being adapted to accommodate a plurality of garlic pieces,
The Peeling member has the shape of a balloon inflated resiliently in a direction facing the surface of the friction wall is formed to a size falling within the bowl, further shaft coupled to a chuck of the mixer unrealized, the peel member coupled to the chuck garlic cloves peeler, characterized in that the rotation by the motor of the mixer. 9. A garlic peeler according to claim 8, wherein at least the bottom part of the hemisphere of the bowl is covered with a resilient liner or provided with a resilient liner. The garlic peeler according to claim 8 , wherein a balloon-shaped portion of the peeling member is separable from the shaft. 11. The garlic peeler according to claim 10, wherein the shaft is one member of the mixer . One peeling member having a peeling surface facing one friction wall extending in a cylindrical shape, and being rotatably supported coaxially with the friction wall ;
A housing comprising one garlic piece storage chamber formed between the friction wall and the peeling member , and the friction wall ;
A power mechanism for rotating the peeling member,
The Peeling member has the shape of a balloon inflated resiliently in a direction facing the surface of the friction wall, the gap between the Peeling peeler surface and the friction wall surface of the member is formed A garlic peeler characterized in that the gap is sized to accommodate a plurality of garlic pieces. The garlic peeler according to claim 12, wherein the peeling member is made of a flexible material. The garlic piece peeler according to claim 13 , wherein the peeling member is rotatably held in the garlic piece containing chamber with the gap formed . The garlic piece peeler according to claim 12, wherein the garlic piece accommodating chamber is formed with a plurality of protrusions protruding inside. The gap between the surface of the friction wall and the peeled surface of the peeling member varies along the contour of the peeling member between a narrower gap at the bottom and a wider gap at the top. The garlic peeler according to claim 14 .

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